Siege of Kattegat
The Siege of Kattegat is the battle over the control and succession of the Kingdom of Kattegat. Prelude After helping King Alfred fend off the Viking attack from King Harald at the Battle of Marton, Bjorn decided it was time to take back Kattegat from his brother Ivar. He seeks help from the recently defeated King Harald due to him still having an army held at the town of York. Harald accepts Bjorn's proposal and soon after, sets sail for Kattegat. Their army makes landfall and prepares for the siege. King Ivar sends Hvitserk as an envoy to King Olaf the Stout regarding the raid to England Ivar had planned. Hvitserk plots against his brother Ivar and persuades King Olaf to join him in attacking Kattegat. Together they march to Kattegat with their army. Bjorn heads to King Olaf's camp where he is reunited with his brother Hvitserk, the two hug and prepare for the oncoming battle against their brother Ivar. Ivar gives a speech to his court about the attack he had planned against England and the reclamation of York for what he calls the 'Empire' of Kattegat. Ivar is aware of Bjorn and Harald's plans to attack Kattegat, he mentions that he sent Hvitserk to gain King Olaf's support for the attack on York but that Hvitserk has not returned. Knowing what this meant, Ivar tells his people that they will not attack York but instead fortify Kattegat and prepare for the oncoming siege. Ivar states to his court that no matter who attacks Kattegat, Ivar would always defeat them as the gods are with them. The Battle The armies of King Harald and King Olaf set themselves up on two sides of Kattegat. Bjorn and Olaf lead the assault on one side, while Harald and Hvitserk lead the other. Bjorn and Olaf's forces bring up a battering ram as they prepare to assault the town. Bjorn joins the vanguard in attacking the gate while the rest of his army form a shield wall and begin returning fire against Ivar's archers. Ivar taunts Bjorn continuously as the gate refuses to budge due to the improved fortifications. Some of Bjorn's forces push up to cover the battering ram whilst more advance with ladders and grappling hooks. Bjorn tells troops around him to get close to the wall to avoid archer fire with Ivar likewise telling his own archers to shoot at Bjorn. Many troops get shot down before making it up to the wall, Bjorn's troops place a large cover over the battering ram to protect the warriors trying to ram down the gate. Ivar continues to laugh and taunt Bjorn as the walls and gate on this side of Kattegat have still not been taken. Ivar orders "White Hair" to the other gate to help the other defenders, before ordering his men to burn Bjorn's forces alive. Oil is poured atop them and fire arrows are shot to ignite it, burning some of those on the battering ram. Olaf shouts to his forces about the death happening around them. After constant arrow fire and loss of warriors on Olaf's side, Ivar continues to rain fire down upon the forces at the gates. Bjorn and his forces eventually break down the gate, Bjorn leads the short-lived charge through the gates as Ivar's forces have enveloped the point of entry. Ivar orders his men to drop sacks full of stone to bring down the secondary gate, trapping Bjorn and a small handful of those that made it inside the town with him. The trapped warriors form a shield wall, as Ivar orders his archers to kill them. Ivar's archers continue to launch volleys at Bjorn and his troops, killing the majority of them, while Gunnhild makes it up the wall and begins cutting down some of Ivar's forces. Bjorn orders his warriors to push through the shieldwall surrounding them as they rush atop the wall, Ivar's men form a shield wall to protect him, as Bjorn and Gunnhild jump off the wall back to their forces. Bjorn orders Gunnhild to call the retreat, and begins screaming at his men to retreat. As they fall back, Bjorn stays behind and reminds those that stand with Ivar know him, and grew up with him. That Ivar is a cruel tyrant. Ivar orders them to shoot him but none comply, Ivar takes a bow and fires an arrow at Bjorn who blocks it with a shield. Bjorn then walks away from the battlefield. Elsewhere, Harald and his forces launch their attack. Two fire arrows are shot at the banners hanging by the gates, setting them on fire. Harald sounds the charge, his forces charge out of their cover and rush towards the wall with ladders and grappling hooks. Many are killed by the constant archer fire. They bring a cart up to the gate as warriors try run up it and climb over. Hvitserk takes cover within a shield wall where troops with him return fire at those suppressing them on the walls. Harald rushes up a ladder to reach the top of the wall. Magnus sees the troops falling around him and hides underneath a cart praying for God to help him. Hvitserk scales the walls and begins killing some of Ivar's warriors. Magnus tells himself that god can not help him or hear him as he believes he does not exist. Haralds forces continue to get slaughtered by archer fire, while some manage to scale the wall. "White Hair" kills four of Haralds men seemingly with ease, he disarms Harald. Harald then jumps off the wall to protect himself and lands on his back, coughing up a little bit of blood. Hvitserk climbs back down the wall as there are too many of Ivar's troops. He takes cover behind the cart with Harald. Hvitserk tells Harald that they are beaten and have to retreat, Harald disagrees and states that Bjorn could've been successful and could already be inside the town so they cannot run away now. Magnus gets up from the ground and begins to shout that Odin is with him and that he is a son of Ragnar who cannot be killed. Magnus shoots an arrow towards "White Hair" who manages to dodge it. Magnus rushes towards the ladders by himself, Harald grabs him calling him a fool. Harald covers Magnus stating that at first he believed him to be a Saxon spy. Magnus stops and tells Harald that he was never a spy, he tells Harald that he didn't know himself until this point. Magnus is then shot in the back with an arrow by "White Hair". Harald grabs him in a moment of shock, he holds Magnus' head before having to leave him behind and fall back. At Night Ivar celebrates with his people in the great hall after the victory over his brothers and the two kings: Harald and Olaf. Freydis sneaks out of Kattegat to speak with Bjorn and Hvitserk. She tells Hvitserk that Ivar burned his lover Thora alive. She informs them of a secret entry to Kattegat meant as an escape for Ivar, Freydis tells them that she will show it to their scouts and open it for them in the morning as she wishes to see Ivar strung up in a tree for leaving her son Baldur to die. The Second Assault Ivar hears horns blowing and says to Freydis that he isn't even sure if he needs to get out of bed to repel the second attack. Ivar gets up anyway and makes his way outside the great hall. The forces of Kings: Harald and Olaf are already inside the city fighting due to the secret entrance opened by Freydis. Bjorn kills who he has to and begins shouting to those opposing them that he does not want to kill them and that they've only come for Ivar. Bjorn, Hvitserk, Gunnhild and Harald reach the great hall with their forces and are met with a small force of Ivar's bodyguards, Ivar standing behind them. Bjorn steps forward and screams to Ivar, Ivar just stands there as "White Hair" lifts up his axe looking at Bjorn. Hvitserk steps forward with Bjorn and begins killing Ivar's guards. Ivar and "White Hair" walk away. Gunnhild, Harald and Amma fight alongside Bjorn and Hvitserk. Bjorn is tackled to the ground. Gunnhild fends off numerous guards at a time, meanwhile Bjorn beats one of Ivar's guards to death. Hvitserk is hit with a shield before lunging back and killing two guards. Bjorn is hit across the head but he soon slashes the back of the mans knees and kills him. Harald fends off numerous guards, while Bjorn is swept and taken down to the ground holding off the axe aiming for his throat. Harald flips a guard over his shield and sees Bjorn in a struggle. Harald smiles at Gunnhild before saving Bjorns life, Harald is soon stabbed in the chest but survives. With the skirmish over Hvitserk crawls over to Bjorn and Harald. Harald holds his wound as Bjorn thanks him for saving his life. Hvitserk hugs Bjorn and lets out a war-cry of victory. The forces of King Harald and Olaf hold up their weapons and cheer. Aftermath Ivar tells Freydis that he loves her before strangling her to death after her betrayal, he places her body on their bed with the bones of her son Baldur. Bjorn and Hvitserk enter the great hall and call out for Ivar who is already gone, they instead find a deceased Freydis. Bjorn is saddened by this. Ivar is shown sitting on the back of a cart wearing a disguise making his way out of Kattegat. Bjorn and Hvitserk head back outside to where the skirmish just took place. Olaf presents Bjorn with a banner, Bjorn looks ahead and sees Ubbe and Torvi approaching them. Ubbe and Bjorn smile at each other and hug, Ubbe blankly looks at Hvitserk before turning back around to the approaching Lagertha. Bjorn is shocked that she is alive. She presents him with the Sword of Kings, hailing Bjorn as King of Kattegat. Bjorn raises the sword as the crowd hails their new king. Category:Battles